1. Field of the Invention
Aircraft guns such as the 20 millimeter Gatling type gun mounted in a gun pod create high blast pressure levels in the vicinity of the firing barrel muzzle. When the pod is mounted on aircraft, such as helicopters and light aircraft, structural damage to the air-craft may occur on firing. Also, if the aircraft carries avionics which requires a radome in the forward fuselage and a Gatling type gun is positioned in the forward fuselage beneath the radar, the repeated shock waves created by firing the weapon can have an adverse effect on the relatively frangible hardware of the radar system. In addition, gun installations located forward of the jet engine inlet ducts frequently cause engine operational problems such as compressor stall or engine flameout when the weapon is fired at moderate to high altitudes. The engine problems are related to interruption of the airflow due to pressure and/or temperature changes to the normal air inlet flow of the engine caused by the fireball which occurs upon firing.
2. Description of the Prior Art device, pressure resulting
Presently, the gun pod in use has a blast shield that can be rotated in relation to the pod to shield adjacent structure from blast pressure. However, this is only partially effective and a blast diffuser has been added to the barrel cluster. This device which attaches to the muzzle of the individual barrels, rotates with the rotary barrel Gatling type gun. The combination of a diffuser with a shield is very effective in blast presure reduction. However, the heavy weight and possible unbalance resulting from the diffuser at the end of the barrel cluster causes deflection and whipping of the barrels, reslting in increased projectile dispersion and failure of the floating gas seal. If the diffuser weight is reduced, the life of the diffuser is very short, resulting in frequent required replacement thereof.
A prior art gun blast stripper and diffuser is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,622. FIG. 4 of the patent fairly illustrates the device which incorporates a stripper 25 provided on the end of each gun barrel 26. The gun involved is a Gatling type gun and both rotates and reciprocates upon firing. Positioned around the gun cluster is the remaining portion of the apparatus which might be referred to as a blast shield. The blast hood and diffusion stripped of the patent direct the energy produced by firing the guns away from the inlet ducts of the jet engine on the aircraft and eliminate the problem of engine flameout during high altitudes and high angle of attack while firing the guns. However, the strippers mounted on the individual gun barrels produce increased projectile dispersion due to the whipping of the gun barrel on firing.